Together, new and used automobiles, with respective changes of 2.33% and 1.54%, were responsible for the contribution of 0.10 percentage points to the index of the month.

The biggest negative contribution in March (-0.12 percentage points) came from alcohol fuel, which changed -12.87%.

The Extended National Consumer Price Index - (IPCA) changed 0.47% in March and stayed at 0.14 percentage points below the 0.61% rate of February. With such a result, the IPCA accumulated 1.85% in the first quarter of the year, lower than the 5.13% rate of the same period of 2003. The index of the last twelve months stood at 5.89%, also lower than the rate seen in the previous twelve months (6.69%). In March of 2003, IPCA had a change of 1.23%.

The reduction in IPCA's rate from one month to the other is a consequence, mainly, of the seasonal increase of tuition fees, which, in February, had a rise of 8.11% and an impact of 0.31 percentage points. In March, this item fell to 0.66%, with an impact of 0.03 percentage points in the index.

The fall in prices of alcohol fuel (from -2.54% to -12.87%) also contributed to the rate decrease, it was the biggest negative contribution of the month -0.12 percentage points. Gasoline prices also fell (from 0.19% to -1.41%). This way, the group of Non-Food products changed 0.48% in March, an inferior result than that shown in February (0.75%).

The rate of food, on the other hand, started rising again and the group Food and Beverages presented a change of 0.43%, a result superior than February’s (0.15%). Among the products that became more expensive, these stand out: soybean oil (from 1.23% to 7.60%), eggs (from 0.98% to 6.86%), olive oil (from 1.38% to 5.34%) and salt (from 1.02% to 4.07%).

However, with a pass-through cost occurred in production costs, the main contribution to the index of the month (0.07 percentage point) came from new automobile, whose prices rose 2.33%, more than in February (1.56%). Used automobile, which in February changed 1.39%, had a high of 1.54% in March. Together, both items were responsible for 0.10 percentage points for the index of the month.

Among items of high price, the highlights are cigarettes (from 2.03% to 4.76%), water and sewage fees (from 0.83% to 2.62%, a reflex of the increase that happened in Rio de Janeiro, in Porto Alegre, in Belo Horizonte and in Salvador) and kitchen gas (from 0.49% to 1.51%).

Results by Area

The biggest regional index was registered in Porto Alegre (0.89%), where food rose 1.12% and the urban buses fares became 4.83% more expensive due to a 7% adjustment made on March 09. The lowest index came from Curitiba (0.09%). 

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monthly income of one to 40 minimum wages, whatever the source, and it encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. To calculate the index of March there were comparisons made with collected data from the period of February 28 to March 26 (reference) with the prevailing prices of January 29 to February 27 (base).

INPC changed 0.57% in March and the first quarter of 2004 stays at 1.80%

The National Consumer Price Index- INPC had a change of 0.53% in March and got a 0.18 percentage points above the 0.39% rate of February. With such a result, the INPC accumulated 1.80% in the first quarter of the year, lower than the 5.39% rate of the same period of 2003. The index of the last twelve months stood at 6.62%, also lower than the results from the previous twelve months (7.47%). In March of 2003, INPC had a change of 1.37%. 

The prices for food rose 0.51%, while in February they stood at 0.25%. Non-Food products rose 0.60%, also a superior result if compared to February (0.45%).

Results by Area

The biggest index by area was registered in Porto Alegre (1.11%) and the lowest, in Rio de Janeiro (0.09%).

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income of one to eight minimum wages, with a salaried head of the family, and it encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. To calculate the index of March there were comparisons made with collected data from the period of February 28 to March 26 (reference) with the prevailing prices of January 29 to February 27 (base).